Page 5 of Caged Love

I shrug. “He died when I was a baby. I don’t remember him.”

We go silent for a few long moments.

“I’m scared of storms,” she blurts out.

“You’re really going to hate Bane then,” I reply, my lip twitching.

She slowly grins, and it brightens up her face. Fuck, my heart races just from seeing it, and it wasn’t even a full-fledged smile.

“The Demon King with the weather magic? Yeah, I suppose so.” She takes a deep breath and exhales. “My father wanted to make this kingdom better.”

“Your father wanted power, Milana,” I reply, licking my dry lips. “He didn’t want Zython to be king. He didn’t want anyone else above him.”

“He wanted to help?—”

“The only person he wanted to help was himself. He wanted Astrid because of her succubus blood, and when he couldn’t have her, he was going to kill her so no one else could have her. How is that making this kingdom better?” I ask, studying her. I don’t want to upset her. I don’t want to fight with her. I’d prefer her in my arms, my face buried in her blonde hair, breathing in her sweet scent. She’s mine to protect, not hurt. I should be shielding her from all of the bad, but I need her to see the truth.

We aren’t the enemy.

We aren’t bad people.

And no one will take care of her like I will.

“I know he’s your father, and you loved him, and I’m sorry for that. I really am sorry. I would never want to do anything to upset you. You’re my mate, Milana. And you know that meanseverythingto me. We’re only givenonemate. We only haveonechance.”

“Imagine if I had killed someone close to you, August. Your precious Astrid? Would you still want to bond with me?” she fires back, lifting her stubborn chin.

And with those words, she stands and storms out before I can say anything else.

Chapter Three

My fingernails dig into my palms, leaving crescent-shaped marks. Rion is down there with August, and it’s making me feel sick. With Rion’s electric magic, I can only imagine what he’s doing to August. Leaning back against the brick wall with my head against the cold, hard surface, I close my eyes and take deep breaths.

He killed your dad, so you shouldn’t feel bad. He’snoton your side. He locked you up in his room like a prisoner, I tell myself, but allowing anyone to hurt my mate goes against every one of my instincts.

I cover my ears with my hands, even though I can’t hear any sounds. Rion is probably using a sound barrier. I don’t know what to think anymore. With my father gone, I’m no longer grounded, and I can’t remember why I’m even fighting August in the first place. For a moment, I imagine giving in and getting to know him. I wonder what that would be like?

I doubt all his friends will ever accept me, and giving him a chance would mean turning my back on everything I’ve ever known. But I’ve lost sight of what we’ve been fighting for in thefirst place, and it’s made me realize something—I was loyal to my father, not to this cause.

What even is the point of fighting the royals?

I don’t want the crown. I could have become queen through marriage. I don’t want to lead. I’m sick and tired of all the scheming and unnecessary death. I’m tired of what’s happening downstairs in the dungeon.

What would my father say if I walked away? He’d probably be rolling in his grave if he knew where my head is at.

“You okay?” Halia asks, leaning against the wall next to me. With her bright red hair, big blue eyes, and shimmery skin, the Mermaid Princess is not someone you can easily forget. She’s stunning and has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.

“No,” I admit, swallowing thickly. I turn to face her, wrapping my arms around myself. “Could you ever be okay if your mate was being tortured?”

She winces, tucking a red lock back behind her ear. “No. I don’t think I could let it happen.”

Great, I’m a heartless monster.

“You aren’t heartless,” she murmurs, letting me know I said those words out loud. “You don’t have a normal situation, Milana. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your father raised you to be loyal to him. To his army.”

“Did you know that Vera lied about Rave being an abusive father to Vale?” I blurt out, August’s words replaying in my head.

Halia nibbles on her bottom lip. “I’ve only seen Rave with Vale once, and he seemed like a good father. Vera wasn’t a good person.”

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